HVAC Permit in Town of Hempstead, New York

Frequently asked questions

Do you need an HVAC permit in Town of Hempstead?

The Town of Hempstead charges and therefore issues a permit for the installation or alteration of major heating, air conditioning, ventilation, exhaust, refrigeration and water cooling systems, and the Department of Buildings publishes a filing instruction sheet for residential air conditioning and generators. That sheet requires a notarized Affidavit of Property Owner, a recent unaltered survey and a professionally drawn plot plan highlighting the condenser or generator location and its setback to the property line, plus manufacturer specifications and workers compensation. Construction drawings are additionally required where the air handler goes in the attic or the condenser or generator sits on a raised platform for flood zone compliance. If the system is part of a new building or a larger alteration that already has a permit, no separate HVAC fee is charged. Always confirm with the Town of Hempstead Department of Buildings before starting.

How much does an HVAC permit cost in Town of Hempstead?

Town Code 86-11I(2), as adopted by Local Law No. 93-2022 (adopted 12-6-2022, effective 12-22-2022) and not changed by the 2024 amendment: $300 for an estimated cost of up to $1,000, plus $15 for each additional $1,000 or part thereof of estimated cost, with no separate fee where the system is part of a new building or an alteration for which a permit has already been issued. Where the work is heating rather than cooling, a separate plumbing permit filed by a Town licensed master plumber also applies. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.

Where do you apply for an HVAC permit in Town of Hempstead?

You can apply through the Town of Hempstead permit portal or contact the Town of Hempstead Department of Buildings directly. The links are listed on this page.

Can a homeowner pull an HVAC permit themselves in Town of Hempstead?

Under New York law (Inside New York City: NYC Admin. Code 28-104.1, 28-105.1, 28-105.4, 28-105.5.1, 28-401.3 (definition of "general contractor"). Outside New York City: N.Y. Exec. Law 381(2); 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1).): New York State sets no owner-builder rule at all outside New York City. Executive Law 381(2) puts administration and enforcement in the hands of each local government, and 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1) only requires each authority having jurisdiction to make building permits mandatory for work that must conform to the codes, leaving who may apply to local law. The state licenses no general contractors and imposes no owner-builder affidavit, disclosure form or post-permit sale restriction of the kind Florida uses, so whether a homeowner may pull the permit is a question for the specific city, town, village or county. New York City is the genuine outlier. Administrative Code 28-105.1 makes the work itself unlawful without a written permit, and Administrative Code 28-104.1 bars the department from issuing that permit until it approves the required construction documents, which must be prepared by or under the supervision of a registered design professional, meaning a licensed architect or engineer, as required by the code. A homeowner therefore cannot self-prepare and file the plans for permit-requiring work in New York City even though Administrative Code 28-105.5.1 defines the permit applicant as the person who performs the work or retains a subcontractor, and even though the general contractor registration definition in Administrative Code 28-401.3 expressly excludes an individual who constructs a residential structure of no more than three dwelling units for his or her own occupancy. Note that Administrative Code 28-105.4 exempts minor alterations and ordinary repairs from the permit requirement entirely, so the design professional bottleneck applies only to work that needs a permit in the first place. Confirm how Town of Hempstead applies this before you apply.